Ice cream freezer



A. H. BOILEAU ICE CREAM FREEZER May 19, 1942.

Filed Jan. 26, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l HYVENTCR. r'zfhur J2. BOL 56010 y 1 1942- .A. H. BOILEAU ICE CREAM FREEZER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Jan. 26, 1939 INYENTORP B0z, 6662M ATTORNEY.

May 19, 1942. A. H. BQILEAU 2,283,487 ICE CREAM FREEZER I Filed-Jan. 26, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 19, 1942. H. BOILEAU ICE CREAM FREEZER Fild Jah. 26. 1959 5 Shee ts Sheet 4 ATTORNEY I May 19, 1942. 'A. H. BQILEAU 2,283,487

ICE CREAM FREEZER Filed Jan. 26, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Ww/zurfi Boeaw ATTORNEY.

Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED ICE CREAM FREEZER Arthur H. Boileau, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington,

DeL, a corporation Application January 2c, 1939, Serial No. 252,884

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to confection freezers, such as ice cream freezers, and more particularly to a new and novel sanitary agitating mechanism, means for rotatively mounting the agitating mechanism and sealing the same Within the processing chamber; to the construction of the evaporator associated with the freezing chamber, and to the means for putting the evaporator quickly into and out "of operation at will.

The evaporator associated with the freezing chamber and the method of making the evaporator as well as the means for putting the "evaporator quickly into and out of operation at will are specifically set forth and claimed in my copending divisional application Serial No. 310,892, filed December 26, 1939.

In ice cream freezers of the type referred to, such, for example, as direct expansion batch freezers of the horizontal cylinder type, it is essential that the ice cream mixagitating mechanism be of a sanitary construction, easily removed from the cylinder and easily cleaned; and in which all of the agitating, scraping, beating and unloading mechanism is provided in a form free from unsanitary crevices, etc. In the operation of such a machine, it is also essential that the openings, through which the driving and supporting shafts enter the freezing chamber for the operation and support of the agitating mechanism therein, be satisfactorily and sanitarily sealed, whereby the easy removal of the agitating mechanism from the processing chamber and dismantling thereof for cleaning pur poses are facilitated. It is also essential ina freezer of the type referred to that the evap orator and the means for quickly putting the refrigeration action into and out of operation be adaptable to the quick repeated operation incidental to the normal use of batch freezers, attaining maximum efiiciency almost instantaneously, and subject to close regulation of the operator. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in an ice cream freezer of this type; however, the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide an ice cream freezer of simple, efiicient design wherein the operator has close control of the freezing process and the operation spring loaded mechanism, rotatively sealing the Lil inner and outer agitating mechanism one to another at the entrance into the processing chamber of the driving and supporting mechanism for the inner dasher; in which the combined inner and outer agitator mechanism when assembled in the the freezer is firmly but removably maintained in operative position and rotatively sealed to the end plate of the processing chamber around the entrance aperture for the compound agitator driving mechanism by automatically adjustable spring loaded mechanism, and in which the inner and outer dasher and scraper mechanisms are separately driven with a special selective drive for the inner dasher mechanism.

A further object of the invention resides in the method of making the evaporator associated with the processing chamber in which the outer evaporator shell is afiixed to the outer wall of the processing chamber in a manner utilizing the afiixing elements as guide means for the refrigerant being circulated through the evaporator, and also utilizing the affixing means as fins on the outer surface of the processing chamber to facilitate the more efiicient heat transfer to the refrigerant medium.

An additional object is to provide an evaporator for a processing chamber .in which the evaporatoris so constructed and arranged as to directly apply the volatile refrigerant to the surface of the processing chamber in intimate contact therewith and guide therefrigerant in a circuitous path thereabout, whereby, due to the pressure caused by the gas of evaporation, high speed is attained inrthe motion of the refrigerant, which high speed of the refrigerant causes it to passin intimate securing'contact over the outer surface of the processing chamber and the adjoining stufaces of the evaporator shell and fins formed thereon, to effect thereby a separation of the liquid from the gaseous refrigerant and the removal of gas bubbles from the surface of the heat transfer elements. Such construction effects an improvement in the rate of heat transfer from the materials being treated in the processing chamber tothe refrigerant medium circulated thereabout.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means to deliver volatile refrigerant to the evaporator casing about the processing chamber and to receive it therefrom whereby intermittent, prompt operation of the refrigeration system at maximum capacity without discharging unused refrigerant to'the compression may be secured, as well as to precool the liquid refrigerant before it enters the evaporator by the use of unevaporated refrigerant dis-charged from the processing chamber evaporator.

Other objects and purposes and other important features of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section view taken vertically through the freezer.

Figure 2 is a section view taken vertically through the automatic thermal refrigerant valve for the freezer.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the completely assembled agitation mechanism with one set of unloading wings turned uppermost.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section view of the front and rear portion of the agitating mechanism and supporting bearings taken vertically through the dasher along line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view of the agitating mechanism showing the inner surface of the freezer in dotted lines and the relation of the scraping mechanism thereto when the freezer is in operative condition.

Figure 6 is a transverse elevation View of the agitating mechanism taken along the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a view of the various elements of the agitating mechanism in dismantled arrangement separated in relative position of assembly.

Figure 8 is an elevation view of the inner face of the rear portion of the separable rear end plate or dasher supporting member.

Figure 9 is an elevation view of the inner face of the front portion of the separable rear end plate or dasher supporting member.

Figure 10 is an elevation view in partially broken away section, showing the evaporator embracing the processing cylinder of the ice cream freezer. v

I. Freezer support and driving mechanism Referring to the illustrations showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, in which illustrations like numerals are associated with like elements, the invention in its preferred form, as illustrated in Figure 1, comprises an ice cream freezer supported on a hollow base I0 resting on adjustable feet H. A gear housing I2 is provided at the upper rear portion of the base, and a cylinder supporting bracket i3 is provided immediately ahead of the gear housing l2, together with a cylinder supporting shelf portion l4 immediately ahead of the bracket l3, above which shelf is mounted the cylinder structure generally indicated by the numeral I5 applied to its envelope. The freezer is driven by motor l6 housed in the hollow base l0 and mounted on any suitable bracket 11. The motor l6 through a series of belts l8 drives the pulley is which is keyed to drive shaft 23 journaled in suitable bearings in the gear housing l2. Pinion 2| is carried by and keyed to the drive shaft and drives the spur gear 22 carried by a quill shaft 23 journaled in any suitable sleeve bearing 24 mounted directly above drive shaft 26 with the quill shaft 23 opening outwardly through the front Wall of the gear housing 12. Quill shaft 23 is joined at its inner end to the adjoinin free inner end of a second axially aligned shaft 25, Which is partially telescoped into quill shaft 23 and there supported in alignment by a suitable rotary thrust bearing 26. The outer end of the shaft is journaled in any suitable bearing generally indicated by the numeral 21. Sprocket wheel 28 fixed to and carried by shaft 25 is driven by sprocket chain 29 which passes around a driving sprocket 3B driven through the intermediacy of the disc clutch generally indicated by the numeral 3| on which it is mounted. Disc clutch 3| is mounted on the drive shaft 23 and actuated by lever 32 pivoted at 33 and hinged at its free end to the control rod 34 extending outwardly through the front wall of the base Ill toward the position occupied by an operator of the freezer.

The inner shaft 35 and quill shaft 36 are the shafts used to drive the inner and outer elements of the reversely rotating agitating mechanism of the freezer. These shafts are telescoped at their free ends into the squared sockets of the shafts 25 and 23 respectively by means of which squared faces the reversely rotating spur gear 22 and sprocket wheel 28 impart the reverse rotation to the shafts 36 and 35 respectively to operate the inner and outer dasher elements.

II. Freezing tube and evaporator The processing cylinder construction comprises an outer envelope l5 and an inner processing shell 31 which serves as a refrigerated wall or cylinder housing the freezing chamber of' the freezer. The shell 31 is surrounded by a refrigerant evaporator C in intimate contact therewith and spaced from envelope I5, in which space a satisfactory cover or insulation 38 is provided. Shell 31 is provided at its front end with an annular head 39, and at its opposite end with a centrally apertured head 48. Heads 39 and 40 areaflixed to shell 31 and envelope 50 by any suitable means, such, for example, as welding, and head 40 is rigidly affixed to the cylinder support bracket [3 by a series of bolts. A removable end wall or door 4| including the usual inlet passage 42 and outlet passage 43 is hinged in the conventional manner to the front cylinder head 39. The outlet passage 43 is closed by valve 44, and the inlet passage 42 is associated with the usual type of mix reservoir 45 through the conventional type of valve 46 all of which are clearly shown in Figure 1. The end wall 4| is provided with a conical, central, inwardly directed bearing support 41 Which supports the front end of the agitator mechanism within the shell 31.

The evaporator C comprises a helical evaporator passage defined on its inner surface by the outer periphery of shell 31 and on its outer surface by a series of angularly split hoops or ringlike elements H3. The elements H6 are superimposed over the shell 31, joined one to the other by welding the front edge H8 of each element to the adjacent rear edge of the preceding element, mounted upon shell 31 and in spaced relation thereto by the inwardly turned flanges I I1 along the rear edge of each element H6. Flanges H1 are in turn welded along their inner edge to the outer periphery of shell 31, and each flange H1 is provided with an interruption or slot H9 approximately equal to the width of the ring H6 and immediately adjacent the ends I2l of the ring-like elements H6 along the line of cleavage of the split rings and advancing in a clockwise direction therefrom. To complete the helical passage H0, defined on its inner and outer surface by the shell 31 and the joined ring-like elements H6, and defined along its edges by the adjacent flange H1, baffle elements I20 are provided intermediate the flanges and intermediate the adjacent slots H9. The bafiie elements I21] are inclined to the plane of the elements H6 and are mounted immediately adjacent edge 12! of each of the rings I I6, having their inner edge welded to the periphery of shell 31 and their outer edge welded to and joining the angularlycut ends I2| of the ring 6. The forward end of each bafile element I20 is joined to the end of a flange |I1 defining the lower edge of the associated slot H9 immediately ahead of the baffle element, and the rear edge of each bafile I20 is joined to the adjacent end of a flange II1 defining the upper edge of the adjacent, rearwardly positioned slot II9. By so joining the opposite ends of adjacent flanges I I1 the helical passage 9 intermediate adjacent portions of the flange H1 is defined. The helical passage I I is provided with an inlet port I I at its front upper end, and discharge port H2 at its'lower opposite end. Liquid refrigerant is supplied to inlet port III through conduit 3 aiflxed to the outer surface of the evaporator C, and communicating with conduit 93 through nipple II4.

Evaporated or gaseous refrigerant is discharged.

from passage I I9 to the discharge port I I2 joined by nipple M5 to the refrigerant discharge conduit 94.

The foremost or front shell 6 is also profront shell and the flange of the rear shell, is

provided with a slot or bypass H9, as just described, joining the annular space on either side of the slotted flange 1. These slots are of approximately the same length as the width of the shells I I1 and are arranged in staggered relation, progressing uniformly rearwardly and downwardly with the slots of the first shell I|6 near the top of the shell 31, and the slot in the second to the last shell H6 slightly passing the lower portion of the shell 31. To complete the helical passage I|9, bafile means I29 are provided intermediate adjacent flanges H1 at an incline to the axis of the shell II 6, joining the lower edges of a slot H9 with the upper edge of just described. The bafile means I29 in the foremost and rearmost shells II6 are joined at their extreme ends to the unslotted outermost flanges II1 of evaporator C, and are inclined similarly to the remaining baflles I29. Bafiles I20 are welded at their respective ends to the adjoining flanges II1, and at their inner and outer edges they are Welded to the shells 31 and H6 respectively.

The bafile I29 in the foremost shell is positioned immediately below the refrigerant inlet port I I I in such a manner as to cause the liquid entering therethrough to flow in a counter clockwise direction through the annular passage To form a con- I III. Agitator The agitating, whipping, scraping and unloading mechanism on the inside of the processing cylinder or shell 31, consists generally of an outer dasher agitator or scraping and unloading member, and an inner dasher or agitator, whipping and beating member, which members are arranged to rotate in opposite directions. The rear head 49 of cylinder 31 is provided with a rearwardly extending bearing neck 48 about the central aperture 49 to rotatively support the quill shaft 36 and inner shaft 35, which shafts and 36 drive the inner and outer dasher members. On the end of the quill shaft 36 extending into the shell 31 is provided a centrally apertured axially aligned end plate or spider 50, which is formed integrally with the quill shaft 36 and to which the outer dasher mechanism support ring or annulus 5| is removably afiixed by stud bolt 52 carried by end plate 59. The ring or annulus 5| is-provided with two diametrically opposed, recessed brackets I99 into which recesses the rear portions of two parallel unloading bars 53 are aflixed which bars are arranged parallel with the axis of rotation of the agitator mechanism having their outer faces closely adjacent to the inner periphery of processing shell 31. The parts 53 on their outer surfaces carry diagonally disposed unloading wings 54, which wings 54 extend into close proximity of the shell 31, and are so disposed angularly with respect to the axis of rotation of the agitator mechanism as to impel the contents of the processing shell 31 forwardly upon the rotation of the outer dasher or agitator mechanism. The front ends of the unloading bars 53 are affixed to the front support spider 55, which is provided with two pairs of oppositely directed arms arranged at right angles to each other mounted on a centrally apertured hub 56. The one pair of arms of front spider 55 are provided at their outer ends with recessed brackets I09 to support the front end of the unloading bars 53. These supporting arms are inclined to the axis of the dasher mechanism so as to impel the contents of the shell 31 rearwardly upon rotation of the outer dasher mechanism, in contrast to the forward motion imparted to the contents of the shell 31 by the unloading wings 54. The remaining pair of arms of the front spider 55 extend outwardly towards the inner periphery of the shell 31, and are provided at their outer ends with aperture I91 constituting bearings for the front end pivots 51 of the scraping blades 58, which blades may be of any conventionaltype. Pivots 51 are mounted in offsets at the rear edge of the blade 58 and the front leading edge of the blade extends through the kerf 59 of the bifurcated ends 69 of the blade supporting arms of the spider 55, whereby the rotation ofthe blades 58 about the pivots 51 is limited and the position of the blades 59 with support brackets 59 on the annulus 5|, which is removably aflixed to the end plate or spider 50. The lugs 6| are provided with bearing aperture 62 for the rear pivots 51 of the scraping blade 58. The inner shaft 35 of the agitator mechanism is supported at its front end by a conical stud bearing 63 mounted free to rotate on'the front end of shaft 35 and telescoping into the conical bearing seat 41 in the door 4|. At its opposite end the. inner shaft 35 is supported in a bushing 64 recessed into the inner end of the quill shaft 36. Bushing 64 is provided with an outwardly turned flange 65 overlapping the central portion of the front face of the rear supporting spider or plate 59. Two sets of beater blades 66 and 61 are mounted at spaced intervals along the central portion of shaft 35, alternately arranged, with one set disposed at an angle of 90 to the other. The beater blades 66 and 61 are so inclined to the axis of shaft 35 that upon rotation thereof they will impel the contents of the shell 31 in a rearwardly direction. To facilitate and supplement the whipping of the. ice cream, whipping rods 68 are provided. These rods are carried in pairs by the beater blades 66 and 61 by passing them through opening 69 in the blades, to which blades they may be aflixed by any suitable means, such, for example, as by welding. The rearfree ends of all the whipping rods 68 are secured to a 4-arm spider 19 mounted on shaft 35 adjacent the end plate 50.

The apertured hub 56 for the front spider 55 is provided with a squared inner surface to engage the squared outer surface 1| of the bushing 12 freely mounted on the shaft 35 to rotate with and support the front end of the outer dasher mechanism upon the front end of the shaft 35. The bushing 12 on its inner end is provided with transverse oppositely disposed slots 13, which engage the lug 14 of the annulus 15 mounted on shaft inwardly of the bushing 12 and abutting against the hub of the front beater blades 66. The annulus 15 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 16 intermediate which flange, and the adjacent face of the hub 56, a coil spring 11 is mounted telescopically upon the end of bushing 12 and over shaft 35. Shaft 35 is biased for rearward motion relative to the outer dasher mechanism by spring 11 to assure the engaging of the annulus I06, keyed to the rear portion of shaft 35, in a sealing engagement with the outwardly turned flange 65 of bushing 64 recessed in the inner end of the quill shaft 36. The front end of the bushing 12 abuts against the rear face of the stud bearing 63, which is freely mounted on shaft 35 and locked thereon by key ring 18 removably mounted in a groove 19 in the extreme front portion of the shaft 35. The front end of bushing 12 is provided with an outwardly turned flange 80 to retain a second coil spring 8|, which embraces the outer portion of bushing 12, intermediate the outwardly turned flange 80 and the adjacent face of the hub 56 of the front spider 55. Upon closing the door 4| affixed to the front head 39 of shell 31 the conical bearing seat 41 engages the freely mounted stud bearing 63 moving it rearwardly on the shaft 35 together with the freely mounted bushing 12 as the closing of the door 4| progresses. This procedure compresses the coil spring 8| to bias the outer dasher assembly for motion in a rearwardly direction, thereby sealingly engaging the rear face of spider with the annular sealing element 82 in the front inner face of the rear cylinder head 49. By this arrangement the sealing of the rotary elements sealing the entrance apertures for the quill shaft 36 through the rear cylinder head 40 and the aperture for the shaft 35 through the quill shaft 36 is assured by the automatically adjustable spring means, which arrangement is one of the important elements of this invention.

IV. Cooling system It is of course obvious that the evaporator C may be supplied with other types of cooling agents to effect a satisfactory operation of the freezing processes within the shell 31. However, the illustrations clearly set out a portion of an ammonia absorption system and the controls therefor.

In the preferred embodimentof the invention as illustrated high pressure liquid anhydrous ammonia is supplied from any satisfactory compressor condenser unit (not shown) through supply pipe 83, from which it passes through a coil 84 of the precooler 85, thence through a conduit 86 to a needle valve 81 provided with a bypass through which bypass the liquid may pass during normal automatic operation to valve 88 through conduit 89, thence through an automatic liquid refrigerant flow regulating valve 99 to a control valve 9| through conduit 92, and thence through the special evaporator connection 93 from which it passes through the evaporator inlet port 3 into the passage III! of evaporator C.

The refrigerant which has passed through the evaporator C is discharged from the port 2 of the evaporator through conduit 94 to the precooler 85, in which any unevaporated liquid refrigerant will be evaporated by precooling the liquid refrigerant supply in coil 84. From precooler the refrigerant gas is discharged to the compressor condenser unit (not shown) through conduit 95.

As a matter of safety, a poppet valve 96, conventionally referred to as a safety valve, is joined to conduit 92 by special conduit 91, and arranged to discharge, when in operation, into the exhaust conduit 94. Valve 96 as just stated is of the conventional safety type valve, and is so adjusted as to limit the liquid pressure in conduit 92 to a predetermined value.

The automatic thermal liquid flow valve 99, as illustrated in detail in Figure 2, is in the refrigerant supply line and is of the commercial type offered on the market under the trademark of Alco, and the details thereof do not form a part of this invention. Valve 99 will be described only sufliciently to indicate that the liquid passing through the valve is regulated by a conical valve 98 seating in a conical valve seat in the flow passage I89. The movement of the valve 98 is controlled through valve stem H, which is fixed to a spring loaded diaphragm I02 actuated by the pressure exerted upon it by the fluid in tube I04 communicating with the thermal sensitive bulb 13 mounted in heat exchange relation on the exhaust conduit 94.

In the event that it is desired to manually operate the evaporator C, the valve 88 ahead of the automatic thermal valve 98 is closed, and the needle valve 81 is adjusted to regulate a flow of liquid refrigerant to the conduit 92 as desired through the conduit I85 connected to the discharge port of the needle valve. The inlet port of valve 81 is associated with the beforementioned by-pass, forming a part thereof, which by-pass is not shown but is constructed in accordance with conventional valve design.

It will of course be evident that some of the chief advantages of the present invention reside in the method of constructing the evaporator C and the results inherent in that construction as well as the results residing in the construction of the dasher or agitating mechanism mounted inside of the freezing chamber or-shell the shell 31.

31, and in the general system of controlling the refrigeration applied to the processing chamber or shell 31.

The evaporator C' is made by welding the baiiies I20 onto the outer periphery of the shell 3! at an angle to the axis of the shell 31 and in spaced relation one to another staggered rearwardly and downwardly as shown in Figure 10. The baflies I20 as a group extend rearwardly and downwardly in uniformly spaced staggered relation one to another in a somewhat helical alignment with the foremost bafiles I20 positioned approximately at the top'of the forward endof The rearmost baffle I20 is positioned approximately at the bottom of the rear portion of the shell 31. The front discontinuous or split ring H6 having an inwardly directed flange III at both of its edges is next superimposed over the forward end of the shell 3! with the ends I2I of the split ring H6 embracing the front baflie I20. The edges of the inwardly turned flange H! of the front ring H6 are each Welded to the periphery of the shell 31 and the ends I2I of the ring H6 are joined to the outer edge of the bafiie I20 and the ends of the baflie I20 are each welded to the adjacent flange H1. The lower end of the rear flange III of the front ring H6 is welded to the front edge of the second baffle element I20 positioned immediately adjacent the rear edge of the front ring H6. The second ring H6 is then superimposed over shell 3! with the ends I2I of the second ring H6 embracing the outer edge of the second bafiie I20 and having the front edge H6 of the second ring H6 abutting against the rear edge of the front element H6. The front edge H8 of the second element H6 is then welded to the rear edge of the first element H6 and the ends I2I of the second element H6 are welded to the upper edge of the second elementl20. The ends of the flange III of the second element H6 which defines the top edge of the slot H9 in the second element H6 is then welded to the rear edge of the second baliie I20 and the other end of the same flange II! is welded to the front edge of the third bafiie I20. The third and other elements H6 are mounted on shell 3! in like manner with the exception of the last and rearmost element H6 which is not provided with a slot H9 in its flange Hi. In the instance of the last ring-like element H6 the rear flange H1 is welded to the shell 31 throughout its entire length which in this instance extends throughout the entire length of element H6 from each of the edges I2I thereof. The unique method of constructing an evaporator for an ice cream freezer as just described forms a passage H which is made continuous throughout all of the elements H6 by providing connecting bypasses in the form of slots H9 in the flanges III intermediate any two adjacent hoop or shell-like elements H6 so associated with defining baflies I20 as to direct the refrigerant flowing through the passages H0 in a circuitous helical path in intimate contact with the outer periphery of the freezing shell 37. Due to the welding of the inwardly directed flange II! to the outer surface of the shell 37, the flanges H1 in actuality constitute heat exchange fins extending into the evaporator C, thereby greatly increasing the heat transfer eificiency of the evaporator due a to the inherent advantages incidental to the structure of the evaporator, whereby the eficient heat transfer surface has been increased.

In the conventional type of freezer it is common practice to provide packing glands to seal ports of entrance of the agitator drive shafts into the freezing chamber. Such packing glands usually embody certain unsanitary features. In the present invention, sanitary automatically adjustable rotary seals are provided which per- .mit the removal and thorough cleaning of all been made demountable, as clearly shown in Figure '7. From Figure 7, it will be apparent that in assembling the agitator mechanism the inner shaft 35, carrying the inner dasher mechanism at its midportion, is telescoped into the quill drive shaft 36, with the rear sealing bearing I66 fixed to the shaft 35 immediately behind; the j inner agitator mechanism contacting the.flange 65 of bushing 64 recessed into the quill shaft 36 and abutting against the front face of the rear spider 50 formed integrally with the quill shaft 36. Annulus I5 and spring 1! are then telescoped over the front end of shaft 35and the outer dasher assembly is telescoped over the inner dasher assembly with the hub 56 of the front spider 55 telescoping over th front end of the shaft 35 until the stud bolts 52 on the rear end spider 50 have engaged the associated bolt holes I00 in' the rear'supporting annulus 5|. The scraping blades 58 are then placed in position between the front and the rear pivot supports 62 and I01 with the pivots 5I registering therewith, and the outer dasher element is then drawn into place by tightening the nuts 52 on the bolts 52, thereby compressing spring 11, biasing the inner dasher element rearwardly against the rear plate of the outer dasher element to hold the annulus I06 in sealing engagement with the flange 65 of the bushing 64. spring 8| is then telescoped over the bushing I2, which is then telescoped over the end shaft 35into the keyed aperture ofhub 56 of the front spider 55 until the slots I3 in the inner end of the bushing I2 engage the axially extending lugs on the annulus 15. To' complete the assembly of the agitating mechanism the stud bearing'63 is telescoped over the end of the shaft 85, compressing spring 8| sufficiently" to permit the insertion of the key ring 18 into the groove I9 at th extreme forward end of the shaft 35.

The assembled dasher is then inserted into .the freezing shell 31 with the quill shaft 36 telescoped through the bearing neck 48 in the rear cylinder head 40- and into the quill shaft 23 provided with a squared inner surface to .drivingly engage the squared; outer surface of the end of the quill shaft36. This arrangement provides the driving connection for the outer dasher element and similarly, and at the same time, the squared end of the inner shaft 35 engages the squared socket in the front end of the sprocket wheel shaft 25 to provide the drivingconnection for the inner agitator element. Upon closing the freezer door 4|, the conical bearing seat 41 forces the stud bearing 63' against the front end of the bushing I2 to further compress-the spring 8|, thereby biasing the outer dasher mechanism for movement in a rearwardly direction, holding the rear face of the rear spider plate 50 in seal- The outer coiland satisfactory operation of batch freezing processes in which'frequent 'startingand stopping door for maintaining said agitator means in a ing engagement with the sealing bearing 82 in the inner face of the rear processing chamber head 40. In the operation of the agitator and whipping mechanism, as previously pointed out,

the inner and outer members therefore may be rotated in opposite directions. For this reason it has been advisable to supply the special spring engaging flanges 80 and 16 or the members 12 and 15 respectively, to engage the ends of the springs 11 and BI thereby to rotate the springs with the outer dasher mechanism due to the keyed engagement of the bushing 12 with the inner periphery of the hub 56 of the front spider 55, and transfer the biasing pressure of the springs through the flanges 16 and 80 to the oppositely rotating element of the inner ,agitator mechanism. Such construction will avoid the winding or unwinding of the springs H and 8|, which winding or unwinding would occur if the flanges beforementione'd did not rotate with the front spider 55, due to the fact that the ends of the springs 17 and 81 adjacent the spider 55 would engage it andtend to rotate therewith, While'the opposite ends would engage oppositely rotating elements. The rotation of the bushing 12 with the hub 56 is secured by providing squared faces H on the outer surface of the bushing 12 to engage complementary faces on the interior of the hub 56.

In the operation of the freezer, ice cream mix supplied to the reservoir is admitted to the freezing or processing chamber defined by the shell 31 through valve 46 and the refrigerant is started or stopped by means of the stop valve 9|, which valve admits the precooled refrigerant from the automatic control valve 90 into the of the freezing operation is essential. In the event manual control of the refrigeration'system is desired the automatic thermal control valve 90 is turned ofi'by closing valve 88 immediately ahead of valve 90 and opening the needle valve 81, which is then used to regulate the flow of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator C through the stop valve '91.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations shall be understood therefrom. Various changes in arrangement of the various elements of the freezer is shown and described to explain the invention may be made in accordance with the common knowledge of those skilled in the art, and yet come within the predetermined radial position within said chambr, and means biasing said agitator'm'eans for yieldably maintaining it in a predetermined axial position within'said chamber. a

2. In an'ice cream freezergthe combination of a processing chamber having a door at one end thereof, agitator means supported for rotary movement within said chamber, agitator support means carried by said door, a bearing carried by said agitator means to cooperate with said support means, and spring means biasing said agitator means for yieldably maintaining it in a predetermined axial position within said chamber and. for maintaining said bearing within said support means when said door is closed.

3. An ice cream freezer having a door at one end thereof and an apertured head at the opposite end thereof, agitator means supported for rotary movement within said chamber and having supporting and driving means extending from said chamber through the aperture in said head, bearing means carried by said apertured head and encompassing the aperture in said head, complementary bearing means carried by said agitator means to react with said bearing means carried by said apertured head, and means biasing said agitator means for movement toward said apertured head when said door is closed and for yieldably maintaining said bearing means and complementary bearing means in sealing engagement.

4. A processing device comprising, in combination, a processing chamber, agitator means having an end plate mounted for rotary movement within said chamber, agitator support and driving means extending through an aperture in a wall of said chamber, sealing means encompassing said aperture, said sealing means comprising a bearing element in said chamber wall, and spring means for yieldably maintaining said end plate and said sealing means in "sealing engagement to seal the aperture in said chamber wall.

5. An ice cream freezer comprising'a processing chamber, agitator means supported for rotary motion within said chamber, a door 'at one end of said chamber, a bearing seat on said door, a bearing on said'agitator means for seating'in said bearing seat, and spring meansbiasing said bearing for yieldably maintaining it in said bearing seat when said door is closed.

6. L1 an ice cream freezer, 'thecombination of a processing chamber having an apertured 'wall at one end thereof and h'avii'ig a door at the other end thereof, agitator means removably supported within'said chamber, driving and supporting means for said agitator means extending from the chamber through the aperture in said wall, operative sealing means for the aperture in said wall including a portion of said "agitator means, a bearing for the'e'nd of s'aid'd'riving and supporting means'extendin'g into said chamber, a bearing seat on said door for supportingsaid bearing in operative position when said adol- 'is closed, and spring means biasing said bearing for yieldably maintaining it in's'aid'baring seat when said door is closed.

7. In an ice cream freezer, the combination 'of a processing chamber havingan apertured wall at one endthereof and havinga door atth'e other end thereof, agitator-means removably supported within said chamber, driving and su portin means for said agitator 'm'eans extending from' supporting s'aid second bearing in operative position when said door is closed, and spring means subject to pressure of said bearing when said door is closed for yieldably maintaining the sealing means sealing the aperture in said wall in sealed position.

8. In combination, a processing chamber having an apertured end wall, agitator means and sealing means having inner and outer rotary elements supported within said chamber, shaft means for driving said agitator means extending from said chamber through the aperture in said end wall, and spring means carried by said agitator means for biasing the same for axial motion within said chamber, said sealing means being arranged upon said agitator means to seal the aperture in said end wall around said drive shaft when said agitator means is biased axially.

9. An agitator for an ice cream freezer comprising an inner agitator element mounted on a shaft, a support for one end of said shaft, an outer agitator element supported at one end thereof for rotary motion relative to said inner agitator element by a support spider swiveled to the shaft of said inner element adjacent said support therefor, support means for the opposite end of said outer agitator element removably attached to an apertured end plate of a hollow drive shaft for said outer element embracing the other end of the shaft of said inner element to support the same, and spring means carried by said agitator elements biasing the inner element for axial movement relative to the outer element to maintain them in relative axial position with respect to one another.

10. In combination, a processing chamber having an apertured end wall, agitator means having inner and outer relatively rotatable elements and housed within said chamber, inner and outer shaft means extending into said chamber through the aperture in said end Wall for relatively rotating said inner and outer agitating elements respectively, rotary sealing means encompassing said inner and outer shaft means respectively to sealingly engage complementary rotary sealing means carried by said outer shaft and said end wall respectively, and spring means for biasing said sealing means for maintaining them in sealing engagement with said comple- I mentary sealing means when said agitator means is in operative position within said chamber.

ARTHUR H. BOILEAU. 

